DESTIN, Fla.—They’ve taken another small step toward forming the new College Football Playoff selection committee.

But that small step has big ramifications.

Conference commissioners, the very men who developed and nurtured the new system, will not be eligible for the selection committee. Athletic directors—some of whom were major contributors to the process—could also be ineligible.

“It’s a working model right now,” said CFP executive director Bill Hancock. “Athletic directors are eligible now, but that could change.”

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, the SEC representative for the CFP, said his understanding is current commissioners, athletic directors and coaches will not be part of the committee.

The problem—or some would say, the benefit—with that step is it could eliminate the architects of the system. Hancock spoke at length Wednesday about the committee, but underscored the process is far from complete.

Conferences have until Friday to submit names for the committee, which will be whittled down to a committee of 12-20, “hopefully by sometime this fall,” Hancock said. He added that he believes the CFP will receive more than 100 names.

A few entry points in the process:

—The committee will meet prior to the season, and then four to five times during the season, beginning in October.

—The committee will have a geographical element, with equal representatives from across the country.

—The committee will be “as transparent as we can possibly be,” Hancock said.

“I think past athletic directors, old coaches and old players—but guys who are really for the college experience—is the way to go,” said LSU coach Les Miles. “They’ll be able to do the job without reflection on where they’re from. The problem with current coaches and current athletic directors is they all have a bias. And it’s impossible to remove it from them.”

Hancock said there still is no timetable for the completion of the committee, and there will be more discussion at the next CFP/BCS meetings in June. One of the ideas that will be addressed: Can the new committee use this season as a dry run.

Hancock said that process is possible, but that would also mean the committee would have to be set by the beginning of this season.

“It certainly something that could be useful,” Hancock said. “But when that hand grenade is not live, it’s different.”